Icarus Line: "The Big Sleep"

If I were the hyperbolic sort I’d go right ahead and say that “The Big
Sleep” is the best rock song of the past five years, and you wouldn’t think
anyone even knew it. But for the sake of conservative judgment, let’s just
say that it’s the best track off the underrated Penance Soirée, which
is (less hyperbole this time), easily one of the 20 best rock albums of the
decade so far.

I mean, would you just listen to this fucking thing? Opening with a menacing
lazy note that turns into an intensified, sleazy, overdriven strum, you can
feel the fuck-you energy of the track just getting ready to rip when Joe
Cardamone leans into the track with some mumbled junk about making good on
all his bets and doing what hasn’t killed “us” yet, and... well, probably
junk. And sex. And other rock and roll things.

And then the track just kind of grows more and more menacing as guitars
start “WWOOoooing” and growling, and then the whole thing just completely
fucking explodes and you’ve got killer drum fills with a
beat-the-shit-out-of-you riff. The song then proceeds to show any other rock
acts cojones to be mere marbles by comparison, chugging through
relentless six-string hooks, bass work, and Cardamone’s frankly phenomenal
rock howls. Oh yeah, and it’s technically proficient, switching rhythm and
time-signature gears, wheeling through sick effects, interlocking guitar
parts, and generally rendering idiotic all the critics who panned the album
for being “all attitude and no substance.” Seriously, if you’re one of the
morons who shot this album down for that reason, or any other one, really
then go learn a few things about music theory, get over your B.S. “originality” fixation, and offer the Icarus Line an apology. I hope they
punch you in the face and spill beer on you anyway.